House mail-box



(No Model.) 5 sheets-sheet 1.

w. s. Boon.

HOUSE MAIL BOX.

Patented May 2, 1893.

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Patented May 2, 1893.

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(No Model.) haunts-sheet}.

W..S. BOON.

HOUSE MAIL BOX. N0, 496,772. Patented May 2, 1893.

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' (No Model. '5 sheets-sheet 4;

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HOUSE MAIL BOX. No. 496,772. Patented May Z, 1893;

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.5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

w. s. BOON. HOUSE MAIL BOX.

No. 496,772 Patented May 2, 1893;

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C NETE STATE-s PATENT OFFICE.

WILLARD s. BOON, or KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

HOUSE MAIL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,772, dated May 2, 1893. Application filed November 4, 1892. Serial 110.450.975. (Nomodeh) I citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in House Mail-Boxes, of which the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

which form a part thereof, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improved collection and delivery box which is designed to be inserted in a door or the front wall of a house in convenient position to receive the mail deposited for collection by the inmates, and for distribution by the mail carrier.

My invention consists broadly of a house mail box provided with two compartments adapted to receive the incoming and out-going mails respectively, a chute arranged at one end or side of the box above one of the compartments and adapted to convey the mail deposited in that end of the box to the compartment at the opposite end or side, and suitable openings at both ends for inserting and removing the mail.

More particularly the preferred form of my invention consists of a mail box formed with two oppositely arranged compartments for the reception of the in-coming and out-going mails, openings for the insertion and removal of the mail, and a double crosschute arranged longitudinally in the box above the compartments and adapted to convey the mail from the ends or sides of the box to the compartments opposite. This double cross-chute consists preferably of a pair of inclined walls leading toward the center of the box, and a central partition dividing the two mail compartments, so that the mail deposited in either of the inclined chutes will be conveyed to the center of the box and over the partition into the compartment at the opposite end.

It has been found very convenient to provide in addition to the above essential features of my invention, a longitudinal compartment at the bottom of the box for the reception of packages or news papers. This large compartment has an opening from both the inside and outside ends of the box so that either the in-coming or out-going papers or packages can be deposited therein. It is also desirablet-o provide some suitable indicator for advising the carrier that there is mail to be collected.

My invention consists also of certain other features of novelty, all of which will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings and the novelty afterward pointed out in the claims.

In said drawings;-Figure 1 is an outside end elevation of the preferred form of box, showing the indicator in raised position for advising the carrier that there is mail to be collected. Fig. 2 is an inside end elevation of the sameform of box. Fig. 3 is an inside end elevation of the modified form of box, in which a half cross-chute is employed. Fig.4 is a detail view representing the bell-operating mechanism. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on line 5--5 of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on the line 66 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a further modification in which both of the inclined walls or chute plates are pivotally supported. Fig. 8

is a detail sectional view taken on the line K 8-8 of Figs. 5 and 6.

A represents a wall of masonry in whichmy improved box is inserted.

B and B represent top and bottom walls of the box proper.

O is the outside end of the box and D is the inside end of the box.

The outer and inner ends or sides 0 and D are secured to the box by screw-bolts or other suitable means, the ends being sufficiently large to form a finishing flange around the opening in the wall.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 5, E, E are the bottom walls of the main mail compartments, and F is a central partition extending across the box for separating the two compartments G and G. The bottom walls E, and E are preferably slightly inclined from the center toward the ends to give the mail deposited therein a tendency toward the openings, and in the outer ends of the Walls are curved cut-out portions e, e to facilitate taking hold of the mail and removing it from the box.

11 and H are inclined partitions or walls extending from the upper ends of the box in a downward direction toward the central par- 5 bottom Wall E of the box to form a longitition F, and constituting whatI term a double cross-chute. The-inner ends of the walls H, H have concave or cut-out portions h, h and end at a sufficient distance from the central partition to afford ample room for the mail to pass.

I is a mail slot or opening in the outside end 0 of the box leading to the chute H, and J is a similar slot in theinside end D of the box leading to the chute ll.

1 is a flap pivoted in the slot I so as to close the same, and K is a hood projecting over the slot I and flap 1 to protect the same from the weather. The partition walls E, E are arranged at a sufficient distance above the tudinal compartment L extending the whole length of the box and adapted to contain newspapers or small packages. The outside end of the box is closed by a hinged door M which is provided with a suitable lock M adapted-to be opened by a key. This doorM closes the opening to the compartment G and the outer opening of the compartment L, a pivoted flap N being supported in a slot in the lower end of the door to allow for insertion of papers into the compartment L without opening the door. 0 is asimilar door at the inside end of the box and .O is a spring catch for securing the door in closed position.

0 is a hinged flap to allow for the insertion of papers.

P is a rod supported in a longitudinal slot of the top wall B of the box, and having keyed to its outer end a plate or indicator P, which is adapted to be turned into vertical position as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 for denoting the presence of mail in the box, and into lower or horizontal position as indicated in full lines in Fig. 1, and by dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3, to indicate thatthere is no mail to be collected.

P is a crank arm at the inner end of the rod 1? by which it is operated, the pin P being provided for limiting its vertical movement.

Q is a bell supported on the inner end of the box, and q is the clapper pivoted to the striking arm g which is in turn pivotally supported upon the pin g around which is coiled a small spiral spring g having one end engaging against the arm (1' and the other end against the square portion g of the bell supporting arm q".

R is the operating rod or wire attached to the striker arm q and extending to the outside end of the box, where it is attached to the arm r of the bellcrank trip lever B which is pivoted in the top wall S.

0' is the depending operating arm of the trip lever R, said lever being so arranged that it will be operated and the bell wire pulled by the opening of the door M, said door being provided with the beveled projection T at its upper end as shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 8. The bevel projection serves to pull the bell wire outward against the action of the spiral spring g and when the arm r slips past the said projection, the spring g forces the parts back into their normal positions which causes the pivoted clapper to strike and sound the bell. It is of course obvious that the door can slip back past the pivoted arm 0" when it is desired to close the same.

The operation and utility of the device will be apparent from the above, but the followin g is a brief explanation of the operation:- When the inmate of the house has mail to be collected, it is inserted in slot J on the chute H which conveys it over the partition F into the compartment G. If newspapers or small packages are to be mailed, they are deposited in the compartment L through the slotin the lower part of the door 0. When the mail has been deposited for collection the indicator P is raised by means of the crank P This indicates to the mail carrier that there is mail in the box to be collected. The carrier deposits the in-coming mail through the slot I on to the chute H which conveys it over the partition F into the compartment G. He then opens the door M and removes the mail to be collected from the compartment G, the bell being sounded when the box is opened to indicate the presence of the carrier to the inmate. When he has collected the mail he turns the indicator down, closes the door and proceeds to the next box.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a modification of my invention, in which the double cross-chute is displaced by a single chute extending from the outer end of the box downwardly to the central partition. In this form of box the partition which forms the chute is pivotally supported at its rear end in order that it may normally direct the mail matter which is deposited by the carrier, into the receiving compartment, and be readily raised at its inner end for the purpose of depositing mail into the collecting compartment.

E and E are the bottom walls of the collecting and receiving compartment-s G, G respectively, which are separated by the partition F as in the preferred form of box.

U is the pivoted deflector plate pivoted at its upper end it to the sides of the box and resting at its lower end upon the beveled upper edge of the partition F. The lower end projects slightly beyond the partition F to facilitate raising of the plate U when it is desired to deposit mail inv the compartment G to be collected by the carrier.

The remaining features of the box are substantially the same as in the preferred form.

If desired, the inclined partition plates H H can be pivotally supported at their outer ends similar to the 'plate U, as shown in Fig. 7, though this is not generally necessary. When these plates are pivotally supported they will swing upwardly into horizontal position and afford more room for packages.

In practice, I prefer to have my improved mail box built into the wall of the building during its construction but where it is to be applied to a building already erected it is ICC ITO

quite obvious that a hole of the proper size can be cut into the wall and the box inserted and secured in place, the flanges surrounding the end plates of the box serving to conceal any slight irregularities produced in the walls of the opening. The outer end of the box is formed with inwardly projecting flanges which inclose the side and top walls and are secured thereto by means of screws, as shown in the drawings, before the box isinsertedin the wall, so that it is impossible to remove the outer end after the box is put in place. Atter the box is put in place the inner end is fitted on the box and secured by screws passing therethrough longitudinally into the side walls, as shown in the drawings, and the box thereby securely clamped in the wall.

My improved box has proved to be very simple and efticientin operation and economical to manufacture, there being very few parts to get out of order and all of the parts being substantial and easy of manufacture.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A house mail box comprising two compartments adapted to receive the incoming and outgoing mails respectively,and a chute leading from one end or side of the box over one of the compartments to the other compartment at the opposite end or side of the box, substantially as set forth.

2. A house mail box provided with two oppositely arranged compartments therein, an inclined partition plate above one of the compartments and forming a chute leading to the other compartment, and suitable mail openings, substantially as set forth.

3. A house mail box formed with two oppositely arranged compartments therein, mail openings at the opposite ends or sides of the box for the insertion and removal of the incoming and outgoing mails, and a pivoted chute plate supported above one of the compartments and leading from one of the openings to the compartment at the opposite end or side of the box, whereby the incoming and outgoing mails can be deposited from the outer and inner ends respectively into the inner and outer compartments respectively, substan-v tially as set forth.

4:. A house mail box provided with two compartments for the incoming and outgoing mails respectively, and a double cross-chute arranged above said compartments and leading from the ends or sides to the center of the box, whereby mail can be deposited from either end into the compartment at the opposite end, substantially as set forth.

5. A house mail box provided with two oppositely arranged compartments therein, two inclined partition plates forming chutes leading from the ends or sides of the box to the respective compartments, and mail openings leading to the chutes and compartments, substantially as and for the purpose explained.

6. Ahouse mail box provided with two com- I compartments and adapted to convey the mail from the ends to the compartments across each others paths, suitable mail openings, and a compartmentL extending under the compartments G, G, substantially as set forth.

8. A house mail box provided with two compartments arranged longitudinally therein,

suitable doors to said compartments forre-- moving the mail, a central partition between said compartments, inclined chutes extending from the endsor sides nearly to the central partition, and openings throughwhich the a mail matter may be deposited into said chutes, substantially as set forth.

9. A house mail box adapted to be inserted in the wall of a house and provided with suitable side walls and end plates, two comparte ments G, G arranged longitudinally in the 1 box and separated by a central partition, inclined chutes leading from the endsv of the box to the compartments, mail openings'for depositing and removing the mails, and a chamber L extending the whole lengthof the box under the compartments G, G, substantially as set forth. x

10. A house mail box provided with two oppositely arranged compartments, a pair of pivoted deflector plates supported above the compartments and extending from the ends or sides of the box nearly to the center, and

suitable mail openings, substantially as set V forth. Y

11. A house mail box comprisingtwo compartments adapted to receive the incoming and outgoing mails respectively, a chute leading from one end of the box over one of the compartments into the other compartment at the opposite end of the box, a compartment L under thetwo mail-receiving compartments,

and suitable openings for depositing and rej moving mail, substantially as set forth.

partments for the reception of the incoming and outgoing mails respectively, mail open ings for the insertion and removal of the incoming and outgoing mails, and an inclined chute plate pi votallysupported atits upper end 12. A house mail box comprising two comabove one of the compartments and leading 1 from one of the mail openings to the opposite compartment, whereby the incoming and outgoing. mails can be deposited from the outer and inner ends respectively into the inner stantially asset forth.

WILLARD S. BOON.

and outer compartments respectively, sub-' Witnesses:

WM. E. KNIGHT, GEO. E. CRUSE. 

